Antimicrobial resistance in patients with suspected urinary tract infections in primary care in Assam, India

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the prevalence and diversity of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from urine samples of community-onset urinary tract infection (UTI) patients in southern Assam, India. METHODS: Freshly voided midstream urine samples were collected from patients attending primary healthcare centres, with the patients’ epidemiological data also recorded. Species identification was confirmed using a VITEK 2 compact automated system. Phenotypic confirmation of ESBLs was performed using the combined disc diffusion method (CLSI 2017) and carbapenemase production was phenotypically characterized using a modified Hodge test. Common ESBLs and carbapenem-resistance mechanisms were determined in Escherichia coli isolates using PCR assays. Incompatibility typing of the conjugable plasmids was determined by PCR-based replicon typing; the phylotypes and MLSTs were also analysed. RESULTS: A total of 301 (59.7%) samples showed significant bacteriuria along with symptoms of UTI and among them 103 isolates were identified as E. coli of multiple STs (ST3268, ST3430, ST4671 and others). Among them, 26.2% (27/103) were phenotypically ESBL producers whereas 12.6% (13/103) were carbapenemase producers. This study describes the occurrence of diverse ESBL genes—bla(CTX-M-15), bla(SHV-148), bla(PER-1) and bla(TEM)—and two E. coli isolates carrying the bla(NDM-1) carbapenemase gene. ESBL genes were located within transconjugable plasmids of IncP and IncF type whereas bla(NDM-1) was carried in an IncF(repB) type plasmid. CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrates the high rate of MDR in E. coli causing UTI in primary care in rural Assam. UTIs caused by ESBL- or MBL-producing bacteria are very difficult to treat and can often lead to treatment failure. Thus, future research should focus on rapid diagnostics to enable targeted treatment options and reduce the treatment failure likely to occur with commonly prescribed antibiotics, which will help to combat antimicrobial resistance and the burden of UTIs

Antimicrobial susceptibility of <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> isolated from wound infections

The primary aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in wound infections and its sensitivity to the commonly used antibiotics at SS Hospital, Varanasi, India. We received 940 relevant clinical specimens among, which 301 (32&#x0025;) was P. aeruginosa . Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by the disc diffusion method where cefoperazone/sulbactam was found to be most effective (74&#x0025;) followed by ciprofloxacin (58&#x0025;) and ceftazidime (54&#x0025;). Rest of the antibiotics showed a very low level of susceptibility pattern. A total of 54 (18&#x0025;) isolates were resistant to all the antibiotics tested in vitro

Brief Original Article Presence of different beta-lactamase classes among clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa expressing AmpC beta-lactamase enzyme

Introduction: Infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa are difficult to treat as the majority of isolates exhibit varying degrees of betalactamase mediated resistance to most of the beta-lactam antibiotics. It is also not unusual to find a single isolate that expresses multiple β-lactamase enzymes, further complicating the treatment options. Thus the present study was designed to investigate the coexistence of different beta-lactamase enzymes in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa. Methodology: A total of 202 clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa were tested for the presence of AmpC beta-lactamase, extended spectrum betalactamas

A rare case of isolated testicular tuberculosis and review of literature

Testicular tuberculosis (TB) is a rare form of genitourinary TB. It is usually presented as painful or painless testicular swelling with or without scrotal ulceration or discharging sinus. Infertility may occur. Epididymal involvement is usually seen in testicular TB. In most cases, genital TB is associated with TB involvement of kidneys or lower urinary tract. Ultrasound (USG) and USG-guided fine needle aspiration cytology of testicular swelling confirm the diagnosis. Anti-TB chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment to ensure the complete resolution of the lesion. However, in very few cases, orchidectomy is required for both diagnosis and treatment. Here, we report a very rare case of left sided isolated testicular TB in a 20-year-old male who was completely cured with 6 months regimen of anti-TB chemotherapy

Transcriptional analysis of bla NDM-1 and copy number alteration under carbapenem stress

Abstract Background New Delhi metallo beta-lactamase is known to compromise carbapenem therapy and leading to treatment failure. However, their response to carbapenem stress is not clearly known. Here, we have investigated the transcriptional response of bla NDM-1 and plasmid copy number alteration under carbapenem exposure. Methods Three bla NDM-1 harboring plasmids representing three incompatibility types (IncFIC, IncA/C and IncK) were inoculated in LB broth with and without imipenem, meropenem and ertapenem. After each 1 h total RNA was isolated, immediately reverse transcribed into cDNA and quantitative real time PCR was used for transcriptional expression of bla NDM-1. Horizontal transferability and stability of the plasmids encoding bla NDM-1 were also determined. Changes in copy number of bla NDM-1 harboring plasmids under the exposure of different carbapenems were determined by real time PCR. Clonal relatedness among the isolates was determined by pulsed field gel electrophoresis. Results Under carbapenem stress over an interval of time there was a sharp variation in the transcriptional expression of bla NDM-1 although it did not follow a specific pattern. All bla NDM-1 carrying plasmids were transferable by conjugation. These plasmids were highly stable and complete loss was observed between 92nd to 96th serial passages when antibiotic pressure was withdrawn. High copy number of bla NDM-1 was found for IncF type plasmids compared to the other replicon types. Conclusion This study suggests that the single dose of carbapenem pressure does not significantly influence the expression of bla NDM-1 and also focus on the stability of this gene as well as the change in copy number with respect to the incompatible type of plasmid harboring resistance determinant

Primary small gut lymphoma presenting as an incarcerated inguinal hernia in an adult

A 73-year-male presented with features of subacute small gut obstruction of 10 days duration. He also complained of a painless, slowly enlarging swelling in the right groin, which was first noticed 10 years ago. There was a history of weight loss, anorexia, and asthenia but no history of fever, respiratory, or urinary symptoms. He was a smoker and was on medication for hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The general health of the patient was poor. He appeared pale and dehydrated. No lymphadenopathy was evident on the general survey. The abdomen was distended, tense with hyperactive bowel sounds. Examination of the groin and genitalia revealed right inguinal hernia and an irreducible, firm, solid, nontender, 6 cm × 5 cm scrotal mass separate from the right testis. Digital rectal examination revealed no abnormality. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the abdomen showed dilated gut loops, right inguinal hernia, and a gut related endophytic soft-tissue mass in the scrotum. Exploration after resuscitation revealed a firm, endoluminal soft-tissue mass arising from the apex of the herniated loop of the small gut which was obliterating its lumen. The tumor-bearing segment of the gut was resected through a groin incision. We then performed a laparotomy to bring out the ends of the bowel loops as double barrel ileostomy. The hernial defect was then repaired. Postoperative recovery was uneventful. Histopathology of the excised specimen suggested the possibility of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of small gut. Immunohistochemistry confirmed it to be low-grade follicular B-cell NHL

The phase-modulated logistic map

We study the logistic mapping with the nonlinearity parameter varied through a delayed feedback mechanism. This history dependent modulation through a phaselike variable offers an enhanced possibility for stabilization of periodic dynamics. Study of the system as a function of nonlinearity and modulation parameters reveals new phenomena: In addition to period-doubling and tangent bifurcations, there can be bifurcations where the period increases by unity. These are extensions of crises that arise in nonlinear dynamical systems. Periodic orbits in this system can be systematized via the kneading theory, which in the present case extends the analysis of Metropolis, Stein, and Stein for unimodal maps